Selectable value counter



Oct. 17, 1967 z. KROKAR 3,348,029

SELECTABL E VALUE COUNTER Filed June 26. 1964 United States Patent Ofi 3,348,029 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 Bee 3,348,029 SELECTABLE VALUE COUNTER Zeljko Krokar, Karlsruhe, Germany, assignor to Siemens & Halske Aktiengesellschaft Berlin and Munich, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed June 26, 1964, Ser. No. 378,337 Claims priority, application Germany, July 1, 1963,

S 85,942 6 Claims. (Cl. 235-92) The invention is generally directed to counting devices, and more particularly to the production of a counting device constructed of magnetic core storage members which delivers at selectable intermediate values an output impulse and which may be settable to arbitrary initial values.

Logical circuits built up of magnetic core storage members have various advantages. It is desired, if possible, to uniformly construct the entire apparatus, for example, a control device for measuring purposes, with magnetic core switching members, in order to economically utilize current supply components, timers, etc., which are necessary in the operation of magnetic core circuits. The known switching arrangements for counting chains which are built up of magnetic core storage members, however, have the drawback that they cannot be preset to arbitrari- 1y determined values and likewise cannot be stopped at arbitrary intermediate values. In contrast thereto the problem is solved in this invention by the production of a counting device which is built up with the magnetic core storage members, and can be so switched over in a simple manner that it begins to run onward from any desired preset value, and/or may be stopped at will at any selectable value and which will release an output impulse for the initiation, for example, of another counting operation.

An important feature of the invention is the production of a magnetic core ring counter, for example, of tenstages, in which the counting stage outputs thereof can be connected at will with bistable flip-flop stages and to which the input impulses to be counted are successively supplied over impulse reducers in such a way that following shifting over of a bistable flip-flop stage, in each case another impulse reducer, for example, in the ratio 1: 10, is successively connected in series with the ring counter, with the outputs of the bistable flip-flop stages being operatively connected to an AND-gate which delivers the output impulse.

The invention is hereinafter described with the aid of the drawings, which represents a circuit embodying the invention.

The principal part of the apparatus is formed in the embodiment illustrated as a magnetic core ring counter R constructed in a known manner, whose ten outputs can be connected at will with any of four bistable flip-flop stages B B assuming the counting is to extend into the range of five-place numbers. The bistable flip-flop stages, which may likewise be constructed utilizing magnetic core technique, are in each case allocated to a place corresponding to the selected end result or to the number to be preset, with their output being collected over an OR-gate G and an AND-gate G The ring counter R is started and set at zero by means of the OR-gate G while the output of the AND-fare 6,, upon reaching the preset initial or end value corresponding to the connection of the flip stages B B, with the outputs of the counter R, delivers an output impulse.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, assuming for illustration that a counting up to the value 49728 is desired. The counting takes place backwards, that is, the first count is effected up to 8. The first figure does not require the use of a bistable flip-flop stage, but rather the corresponding output of the ring counter R is directly connected with one input of the OR-gate G and one input of the AND-gate G Accordingly there are provided four bistable flip-fiop stages B B which in the illustrated example, are connected with the numerals 9728 of the counter. The arrangement further contains an impulse forming stage E, to which are directed input impulses, and simila'rimpulse reducing stages Z Z which in each case elfect a reduction in the ratio of 1:10, and can be formed, for example, by magnetic core circuits, in themselves known, which operate according to the principle of st-agewise core magnetization. Further there are provided four AND-gates G 6,, each with two inputs and one output.

The operation of the system described is as follows: The impulses to be counted are transformed in the impulseformer stage E in such a way that they are suitable for starting the impulse reducing stages Z Z formed, as aforementioned, of stagewise magnetizable cores.

Simultaneously these impulses are fed, first over gate G and after its blocking over gate G etc. to the input of the magnetic core ring counter R. As previously mentioned, in the example described, an output impulse is to be delivered as soon as the end value 49728 is reached. Therefore, the figure 8 is first counted, that is, when the magnetic core ring counter R delivers an impulse on its output allocated to 8 the bistable flip-flop stage B is shifted over. The AND-gate G is thereby blocked, and over the OR-gate G of the magnetic core ring counter R is reset to 0. The impulse reducers Z Z insofar as they do not happen to be on 0 are similarly reset. As a result of the blocking of the AND-gate G the impulse reducer Z corresponding to each tenth input impulse, now feeds counting impulses over the AND-gate G to the ring counter R. The switching over of the bistable flip stage B further prepares the bistable flip-flop stage B over a presetting input, for the switching thereof. Over the output allocated to the digit 2 of the ring counter R the bistable flip-flop stage B is switched over, which has the consequence that, correspondingly the AND-gate G is blocked and, in the above-described manner, the ring counter R and also possibly the impulse reducers Z Z, are restored to 0. The output impulses of the impulse reducer Z are thereby fed to the impulse reducer Z whose output impulses are fed over the AND-gate G to the input of the ring counter R. When the ring counter R reaches the digit 7, the bistable flip stage B is similarly switched over. The subsequent operations proceed in a manner corresponding to that above described.

When the ring counter R corresponding to the first digit of the countingvalue, has energized the output allocated to the digit 4, an output impulse is delivered over the AND-gate G since all the inputs of the AND-gate G are energized as a result of the switching over of all of the bistable flip-flop stages B B Simultaneously therewith, from the output of the AND gate G a resetting impulse is delivered to the bistable flip stages B B while over the output of the OR-gate G the magnetic core counter R and the impulse reducers Z Z, are reset. The counting process as described can thereupon be repeated.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims which define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. A counting device for delivering at selectable intermediate values an output impulse, and which may be settable to arbitrary starting values, comprising a magnetic core ring counter having a plurality of counting stages, each of which has an output, a plurality of bistable flip flop stages, means for selectively connecting outputs of said counting stages with flip flop stages, a plurality of successively arranged impulse reducers, means operatively connected to said flip fiop stages and said impulse reducers for successively connecting therespective impulse reducers to the .counterin predetermined ratios following shifting over of the corresponding flip flop stage, means for feeding the impulses to be counted to said impulse reducers, and means operatively connectedto the outputs ofsaid flip-flop stagesforreceiving the-impulses therefrom operative to supply an output impulse. r

2. A-counting device according to claim 1, wherein said outputrneans comprises an AND gate operatively connected to the respective flip flop stages.

3. A counting device according'to claim 1, comprising in further combination an OR- gate operatively connectedto therespective flip flop stages and to the ring counter and impulse reducers, operative to deliver resetting impulses to the ring counter and the impulse reducers.

4. A counting device according to claim 3, whereinsaid means for connecting said impulse reducers to said count "er comprise respective AND- gates havingtheir inputs.

connected to corresponding flipflop stages and impulse reducers, and their outputs connected to said counter.

5. A counting device according to claim 3, wherein said impulse reducers are constructed in the form of stagewise magnetiza'ble magrietic'cor'esb 7 6. A counting device as defiried inclaimS, wherein-said V magnetic core ringcounter is providedwith' ten counting stages and each of saidimpulsereducers has an'operat ive reduction ratio of 1110.

References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,156,814 11/1964 Neitze r t 235-92 X DARYL W.'COOK, Acting Primary Examiner. G. J. 'MAIER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COUNTING DEVICE FOR DELIVERING AT SELECTABLE INTERMEDIATE VALUES AN OUTPUT IMPULSE, AND WHICH MAY BE SETTABLE TO ARBITRARY STARTING VALUES, COMPRISING A MAGNETIC CORE RING COUNTER HAVING A PLURALITY OF COUNTING STAGES, EACH OF WHICH HAS AN OUTPUT, A PLURALITY OF BISTABLE FLIP FLOP STAGES, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CONNECTING OUTPUT OF SAID COUNTING STAGES WITH FLIP FLOP STAGES, A PLURALITY OF SUCCESSIVELY ARRANGED IMPULSE REDUCERS, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FLIP FLOP STAGES AND SID IMPULSE REDUCERS FOR SUCCESSIVELY CONNECTING THE RESPECTIVE IMPULSE REDUCERS TO THE CONTER IN PREDETERMINED RATIOS FLOLLOWING SHIFTING OVER OF THE CORRESPONDING FLIP FLOP STAGE, MEANS FOR FEED- 